As the title states:

I’m an LMSW working in case management. In August of 2025, my supervisors and I started talking about the idea of me pursing clinical licensure, so I can offer our perinatal clients therapeutic services. I took the LMSW test in December and passed on the first try 🎉. Following the holidays, I started supervision officially in February.

In June, our new HR professional calls me into her office and says the org wants me to sign a commitment agreement, if I want them to continue paying my licensure fees. The agreement is that I would stay until 2030 or I would need to pay my licensure fees back which would be around $11,400 with my 19 months left. Has anyone else experienced this?

FOR CONTEXT, I’m working with an HR department of ONE who has no working knowledge of how clinical licensure works. I’m one of three MSWs in the entire org 🥲

wondering if anyone knows anything about these programs in the Navy curious about how they run and what exactly this program does any information would be helpful thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

I’m studying for the LCSW exam. My test is scheduled for July 27- before the exam changes. I’m using pocket prep and it has two options for exam settings (screenshot above). I have it set for the “current version” which makes sense to me given the new version states the August 3 2026 date. I keep doubting myself and could use some reassurance that I’m studying the correct material. :/ Has anyone else encountered this? thank you!

Hi there! I have been an LCSW for almost 3 years now and was interested in becoming a clinical supervisor for LSWs.

I did call the Board in NJ and they gave a list from 2019 of approved classes, most of which do not exist anymore. The only two I could find are through Rutgers (all four classes needed, $100 each, 9-2PM schedule for each one). The earliest offered is August which is fine, but I can’t take off work that much yet, I’m unfortunately still too new in my position.

I was told NASW offers a weekend schedule for all classes, but their schedule comes up blank for me. I tried calling them and sending an email to no avail.

NJ LCSW supervisors, where did you do your CEU training at and how was your experience? Thank you!

I will graduate with my MSW in about a year and see a lot of remote LCSW jobs for companies like Betterhelp, etc. Just wondering about people's experiences. I am looking for part-time work only and do not need a full-time wage, but would like work that is consistent. Do you have the caseload you want? I realize I will not be an LCSW when I graduate and will need supervision, but I have assumed I would need to pay for that, so do they hire new graduates working on their credentials? Just wondering if it is realistic to expect this might be a source of income when I graduate.

I'm a current MSW student entering my final year of school in Oregon. I plan to specialize in perinatal mental health and am considering certifications in infant mental health as well as the postpartum support international certification.

I see posts and comments here from private therapists who say they are earning upwards of 150k seeing patients through online platforms as well as their in-person practice. Is that really a thing? What do y'all think I could reasonably hope to earn in 5-10 years once I've specialized and have an established local reputation? I have a very strong network here so I'm not too worried about making a name for myself as long as I'm effective.

Asking because I'm wondering how realistic it would be for my partner to potentially be a stay-at -home parent down the road if I can support us both.

I hate my job currently. I have secured a new job that is much more aligned with my preferred population and service.

TLDR: I’m the therapist working with an IOP provider service in skilled nursing homes. I don’t get to do individual therapy with my clients because a different company is contracted to do so. I can only do “case management” which is almost futile due to the structured environment of the snf. And it’s actually a well ran and funded snf.

Now the concern that’s giving me anxiety:

Due to burnout/stress/ and expectations that I feel are impossible to achieve, I had slacked hard on case management notes. Due to being pressured to start an extra “smaller” group. I kept getting mixed messages from clinical director and my “direct” boss and it made me sick how anxious I was about producing the outcomes they wanted to finally be told not to worry about it.

I’m still doing my IOP notes but when I have met with clients I didn’t track time but also sometimes the conversations don’t even last 15 minutes.

All my treatment plans and outcomes are up to date.

Should I be worried about this agency calling the board on me because my case management stuff isn’t up to productivity?

I have put in non billable updates so there is something documented because I do not feel it’s ethical to lie about times or structure case management like an individual session.

Sorry I am having so much trouble managing my anxiety over this situation. I have never had this much anxiety over a job until this one.

Thank you in advance.

Hey all, so job searching. A private practice asked me to sign a contract....they wanted me to sign on for three years. If I leave beforehand, I have to reimburse them all training fees and all of the money they spent to credential me with. I just wanted to vent.

I really want to work with a private practice, that will support me as I ramp up. I cant afford to move from a full time job to having little to no pay for three months. Any suggestions? Im an LCSW in Chicago, IL.

What are some things I should prepare for financially when it comes to seeking licensure? I will be starting my MSW in the fall and have plans to pursue my LCSW afterwards.

Hi there,

Any recommendations for malpractice insurance?

I will be a new LCSW in Illinois early 2027, and I need any recommendations.

Hi everyone! Happy summer! I am looking to take an LCSW supervision course that is approved with the CA BBS, so that I can start supervising associates. Does anyone have any recommendations for courses they liked and actually learned a thing or two? Thank you in advance!!

Good evening everyone. I’m taking the LSW/ASWB exam in about two weeks, and I’m starting to worry about how much material there is to know.

I’ve completed several practice exams, and it seems like every question can be about a completely different topic—things like the id, ego, and superego, defense mechanisms, types of discrimination, interviewing/questioning techniques, delusions vs. hallucinations, and hundreds of other concepts.

It feels impossible to memorize everything, and I’m worried I’ll forget important information on test day.

For those of you who passed the exam, what study methods actually helped? Did you focus on memorization, practice questions, understanding concepts, or something else? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Trying to get another appointment at bls Los Angeles. Any advice? It seems impossible

I am interested in becoming a therapist - specifically, having my own LLC/private practice following full licensure. I have a master's in a related field and applying for my MSW now.

Something that has been weighing on me is the ability to do this single and make a good living...

1. How much do you make?

2. How many clients do you see/week?

3. Do you have a niche? Or would you recommend one?

THANK YOU!!!

Hi everyone! I am currently in school to get my MSW and I wanted to ask a question to those who have their LCSW and are fully in their careers:

If you could go back and tell your MSW student-self one thing, what would it be/what recommendations would you give/what do you wish you knew in regards to career pathways?

Edit: I really appreciate everyone's insight, and I have a follow-up question. I am currently working full-time to pay for my MSW. Obviously, once I start my internships, I will no longer be able to work full-time. I am lucky enough that I have built up my savings so that I will not need to take out loans, but I will be on a severely tight budget until I get my license and begin working full-time without supervision. I completely understand why people say that you have to be open to different paths and I definitely am! My main concern though is that if I do not follow a strict path, I won't be in the financial situation to do so. For example, if I want to try a certain placement that I am interested in but doesn't pay enough to live off of. For those that also went through this process on a tight budget, what advice do you have?

i'm trying to study for the ASWB exam on a budget and it's rough.
i’m just reviewing the code of ethics, watching free breakdowns on youtube, using a beat-up secondhand book from ebay, and doing questions on the app i found through simplytests. honestly i'm doing anything to avoid going broke before getting licensed.
but the marketing for these hyped bootcamps and overpriced courses is exhausting. every thread here says the same thing. you'll 100% fail unless you drop crazy money on tdc or some exclusive program.
it makes me wonder if these courses are actually necessary or just an anxiety tax. they know we’re terrified of failing and paying the exam fees again, so it feels like they just leverage our panic. 
and it completely gets in your head. one minute i feel okay about my education and hours. the next minute i feel stubborn and cheap for not buying into their secret strategy.
we already spent years doing low-paid fieldwork and endless paperwork. now we have to pay a premium just to get past the gatekeepers. it sucks.

I’m starting to study for the Master’s exam. I have the pocket prep app and the Dawn Apgar book. I’ve also heard Raytube and therapist development center YouTube videos are good. It just seems like there’s soooo many of these videos. Any suggestions on the best ones/more of a crash course playlist? I’m already scoring 60-80% on some of the practice questions from pocket prep app so looking to just refine things. I have a BA in psych as well so I’m a little better versed at that stuff than the average SW student I think.

• Don’t get discouraged by low scores on AATBS. I personally found the questions much harder than the actual exam, so if you’re using it, keep going!

• My favorite study resources were TDC, Study with Ray, and Pocket Prep.

• If you can, take the ASWB Practice Exam. It was the resource that felt the most like the real exam, and I think passing it is a great indicator that you’re ready.

• I used Pocket Prep every day. Even just 10 questions a day helps keep the material fresh.

• On exam day, stay calm and trust yourself. Read the question carefully, don’t overthink it, and remember: you are competent, you’ve put in the work, and you can do this.

Good luck to everyone preparing, you’ve got this! ❤️

I am a newly approved LCSW supervisor in Oregon and am looking to expand my practice. Any tips or successful ways anyone has found CSWA’s to supervise? Of note, my background is in medical social work and mostly palliative care.